Chapter 29
Livy’s mom’s driving me and Izzy home. We went home with Livy after school, but it’s time for us to go back to the trailer while they have a nice dinner as a family, and we hide in our bedrooms and pray our parents don’t notice us. There’ll be no dinner for us tonight.
The school week passes with grumbling tummies and private tears. Sometimes Connor’s mom packs extra snacks and he shares with me. I try to save half for Izzy.
Thankfully we had hot water this week, so at least I’m clean. But the electricity went out last night, Mom must’ve skipped paying the bill again. I just want a regular home with a nice family and not fear for my basic survival.
“You okay, doll?” Connor’s concerned voice stops my mental spiral.
“Oh…yes, I’m okay. Sorry.”
“You don’t look okay. You look sad,” he says.
“I am,” I tell him honestly. We’re at the park by the school. His mom dropped him off while she does the weekly shopping. He walked to my house, and we came here together.
He swings beside me, keeping perfect pace.
“Why are you sad?” he asks.
“It’s stupid,” I say, embarrassed to voice my feelings.
I tell Izzy everything, but this is different. This is Connor. I love him…but he won’t understand. He has a normal, happy family. It’s uncomfortable sometimes when I tell him things.
Connor stops swinging and grabs the chain on my swing, lurching me to a stop too.
“Tell me or I’ll tickle you,” he says, holding his hands up like claws.
“No! I hate it!” I whine, curling in on myself to protect my ribs from his fingers.
“Then you better tell me,” he threatens playfully.
I hop off my swing and take him by the hand, leading us over to the big oak tree shading the field. We sit in the soft grass, plucking blades and tying knots in them.
“You know that house by the library? The white one with the blue door?” He nods.
“Someday, that’ll be my house. I’ll plant flowers by the front porch, and I’ll have a rocking chair. The cute picket fence is old and broken, but I’ll fix it and paint it bright white. I’ll walk to the library every day to check out a new book.” I pause, growing emotional.
Connor laces his fingers with mine, holding my hand tightly.
“I’ll have a job that makes enough money that I always have fresh food and hot water, and my lights will always be on.” I smile sadly. I’m only a little kid and I know how pathetic it is to have such basic dreams.
“I know you will. It’s okay, Delilah. My family can help more, and I bet if you told the school what’s going on—”
“No. We can’t. Izzy will be fourteen in three years, and she’ll get an afterschool job. You only have to be fourteen to get a job, did you know that?” I ask.
Connor shakes his head no. “I wish I could help more,” he says sadly.
“I know. Someday you can live with me in the white house with the blue door,” I say with false hope.
Connor gets on his knees and brings me into a warm hug. He whispers into my ear words I’ll never forget.
“Someday you’ll have the white house with the blue door. I promise.”